U.S. Pat. No. 3,292,117 discloses a coaxial connector having component parts including, a conductive center contact coaxially surrounded by a dielectric body of insulation material, in turn, surrounded coaxially by a conductive shell for disengageable connection with an electrical coaxial cable. The component parts are interlocked by a pin constructed in the following manner. An opening extends through the thickness of the outer shell and is aligned with another opening which extends entirely through the dielectric body and intercepts the center contact. The aligned openings are filled with a fluent and solidifiabe dielectric material such as epoxy. The epoxy then solidifies and forms a rigid pin which resists movement of the center contact and the dielectric body with respect to the outer shell.
According to the invention, a dielectric body of a coaxial connector coaxially surrounds a conductive electrical contact of the connector. The dielectric body has thermoplastic properties. Further, the dielectric body and center contact are adjusted in desired alignment with each other. A portion of the dielectric body is heated inductively by the application of radio frequency energy and is caused to flow into interlocked engagement with a portion of the center contact which has a surface roughened by knurling. Because the center contact is interlocked with the dielectric body, movement of the center contact is resisted. The parts are interlocked without disturbing the alignment of the dielectric body and center contact. The interlocking feature is provided without contributing to an increase in cumulative tolerances of the assembled parts of the connector.
An electrical connector according to the invention comprises a conductive outer shell for releasable connection with an electrical coaxial cable, a dielectric body coaxially surrounded by the outer shell, and a conductive center contact coaxially surrounded by the dielectric body and having an electrical contact portion for releasable connection with the coaxial cable and an electrical terminal portion for connection with an electrical circuit, characterized in that, the center contact has a portion having a roughened outer surface, the dielectric body engages the center contact and has a portion flowed into interlocked engagement with the roughened outer surface.
An object of the invention is to provide an electrical coaxial connector with interlocked component parts.
Another object of the invention is to provide an interlocking structure that maintains the low signal loss properties of the dielectric body, particularly in the sensitive area surrounding the center contact.
Another object of the invention is to provide an electrical coaxial connector with component parts of the connector having interlocking features that are provided without contribution to cumulative tolerances in the assembly of the component parts.
Another object of the invention is to provide an electrical coaxial connector with a conductive outer shell and a dielectric body interlocked to the outer shell by a collar formed by a solidifiable material.
Another object of the invention is to provide an electrical coaxial connector with a conductive outer shell, a conductive center contact and a dielectric body coaxially surrounding the center contact and flowed into interlocked engagement with the center contact.
Other objects and advantages are present and are intended to be covered in the description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.